Program Prepares New Nurses to Provide Bedside Care

Columbia Memorial Health today announced the graduation of 10 nurses from the inaugural Nurse Residency training program. Nursing residency programs have been growing in hospitals across the nation as a means to better prepare new nurses to provide better patient care and enjoy greater job satisfaction.

The new graduates completed an intensive six-month curriculum at Columbia Memorial Health focusing on a number of specific areas including quality improvement, patient safety, evidence-based care, professional development, communication skills, and adapting to and positively influencing workplace culture.

Stephanie Hisgen, chief nursing officer and vice president for Patient and Clinical Services, said, “Our nurse residency program was designed to help new nurses transition from academic preparation to bedside competency. The nurse residency approach recognizes that new nurses need a far more structured and supported transition to bedside care so they can provide safer and higher quality care. The approach also better ensures new nurses can succeed, feel rewarded and advance in what is a dynamic and stressful environment.”

Columbia Memorial Health President and CEO Dorothy Urschel said, “The combination of an aging population and a considerable national workforce shortage has placed a great deal of burden on our nurses, especially those who have just started their careers. We developed this program to better prepare our nurses to succeed clinically and professionally, and to respond to the needs of our nurses and nurse candidates to help them lead rewarding and fulfilling careers as caregivers.”